The term entrepreneur has been around for a long time, says Abeir Haddad, entrepreneur, and investor from West Vancouver, BC, and many people have misconceptions about being one. For example, some believe that entrepreneurs are always rich and famous. This is not true; there are plenty of successful entrepreneurs who live modest lives with few possessions.

Others think the only way to be an entrepreneur is through owning your own company or starting your own business from scratch. Again, this isn't accurate as some become entrepreneurs by working at a company they helped start or buy out later on in their career. Some people even work as freelance entrepreneurs, where they take on jobs based on the needs of different companies and clients rather than owning their enterprise outright (or hiring employees).

Several different factors could potentially make a person want to run their own business, for example:

• You don't like working under other people
• You identify as an innovator/think outside of the box
• You have a lot of great ideas but don't know what else to do with them

Everyone always says, "follow your dreams," says Abeir Haddad, but how many people consider this? If you're worried about not being able to pay rent, then, of course, you're not going to want to run your own business. You need to be confident and have the drive to get ahead in life, and if running a business is what will do that for you, then go for it.

Let take a look at a few of the most common things that make people want to be entrepreneurs.

Passionate Creators

Some people want to create, period. They don't necessarily need to be paid for it or see a return on their work; they love the process and creative expression that comes with creating something new.

If you're one of these types of people, then entrepreneurship might be perfect for you. It will allow you to take your ideas and turn them into something tangible that delivers value to customers/users in some way, shape, or form.

To do this successfully, though, you'll have to put in the hard hours required by any entrepreneur (there is no easy button when it comes to working from home). You'll also need an idea for a product or service that solves a problem other people have while being innovative enough to stand out from the crowd.

Productivity Experts

For many people, what matters most is their output and responsibilities at work. They feel like, says Abeir Haddad, they don't have much control over what they can accomplish or how quickly it gets done, so they want to take a more proactive approach by becoming entrepreneurs.

When you're an entrepreneur running your own business, you get to decide exactly how you use your time each day while still bringing value to others in some way. You may not control everything that happens around you, but if you're committed and persistent, things will eventually run more smoothly for you.

You also get to prioritize working on tasks that interest/excite you the most rather than doing whatever your boss tells you to do, which can be a nice change of pace for someone who's worked in the same job for several years.

Freedom Seekers

The freedom to make your schedule, work/life balance, etc., are probably the biggest perks of entrepreneurship. However, there can also be some drawbacks if you're not ready or willing to take on certain responsibilities (e.g., managing employees).

Abeir Haddad believes that it's important to note that while most entrepreneurs do love the freedom they get from running a business, they still have to put in a lot of effort. You won't solely rely on the company you start for money, and there are also lots of risks involved.

Legacy Builders

Some people want to leave a legacy behind when they die, and entrepreneurship is one way to do this. They may not be able to open up a museum or something as large as what Bill Gates (News - Alert) donated to charity, but they can impact the business they start/expand over time.

This category is more common among those who become successful entrepreneurs. They're going to have a lot of great ideas throughout their lifetimes, and they want to do something bigger with them than think about it. If you have a passion for entrepreneurship, this might appeal to you, but keep in mind that this is probably the hardest category out of all of these.

Struggling survivors

Lastly, some people are just struggling financially or in their current jobs/careers. They want to get ahead at work by becoming entrepreneurs, but there's also a desire for independence and control that drives them.

They may not have any problem with the idea of working long hours or taking on extra responsibilities, but they do need money to get started. That's why entrepreneurship can be a great option if you have a business idea and some capital to get your company up and running, but it may not be the best choice for people who lack these things.

Final Thoughts

Because of the possible downsides, people who aren't prepared for the responsibility may choose to remain within their current job position until they feel confident enough about starting their own business. For example, someone might work as an editor at a large company because it's stable and safe but secretly wants to become an entrepreneur. Hence, they use their spare time trying out different ideas related to content creation until one works out in the long run.

People who want to run their own business and aren't afraid to take risks will generally try out different ideas on the side before eventually deciding which ones are worth pursuing. They'll likely start as freelancers or independent contractors first if they can afford it because those positions allow them to test the waters without too much risk involved quickly. Once they establish themselves as experts in their respective field(s) and begin growing a fanbase/client base, they might feel confident enough to start their own company.